LANCASTER, Pa. -- Although the Elmira College baseball team scored first in both halves of Saturday's doubleheader against Franklin & Marshall College, the Diplomats came out victorious in both contests with 4-1 and 15-7 wins over the Soaring Eagles.

Franklin & Marshall 4, Elmira 1
Elmira (2-10) looked prime for a big day offensively in the top of the first inning against Franklin & Marshall (3-4). The first three batters all reached base before an out was recorded, as Jack Volpe '20 singled, Mark Ryan '21 was hit by a pitch, and Jansen Crossley '20 was walked to load the bases. EC top a 1-0 lead in the next at-bat, but a grounder off the bat of Tommy Fogarty '20 resulted in a double play. The third out of the inning came on a ground ball in the ensuing at-bat, which allowed the Diplomats to escape the jam with just one run allowed.

Unfortunately for the Soaring Eagles, that proved to the only run the team would score. Elmira managed just one base hit in the remaining six innings, an infield single by Fogarty in the sixth.

The Diplomats took the lead in the fifth, when Justin Cavegn recorded a two-out RBI single. Franklin & Marshall added insurance with two runs in the sixth, the first of which was unearned due to an Elmira error.

Taber Carter '21 (1-3) was taxed with the loss, despite another complete-game effort by the junior righty. Carter scattered four runs (three earned) on eight hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.

Franklin & Marshall 15, Elmira 7
Southpaw Robert Gruber '22 tossed two scoreless innings to kick-off the nightcap and the Soaring Eagles drove in the first three runs in hopes of salvaging a split of Saturday's doubleheader. Gruber struck out one and stranded two on base in the first inning, before carving through the Franklin & Marshall side with two punch outs in the second.

Volpe got things going at the plate by leading off the top of the first with a walk and scoring from second on a Crossley base knock. A sacrifice bunt move Mason Ryan '22 and Crossley into scoring position, and Ryan doubled EC's lead to 2-0 by reaching home on a wild in the dirt by Diplomat starter Matt Devlin. In the second, Sam Plaugher '20 singled, swiped second, moved to third on an error, and finished his trot around the bases on a Volpe RBI hit to extend the advantage to 3-0.

Franklin & Marshall's bats were kept in check until an explosive third, during which the Diplomats took the lead with a five-run frame. But the Soaring Eagles fought back and regained the lead in the next half inning with a four-spot of their own. Felix De La Cruz '23 doubled, which was followed by three consecutive free passes to force one run home. Miscues by the F&M defense quickly turned into three more runs, as Plaugher scored on a passes ball, and both Ryan and Volpe scored on an errant throw by the Diplomats' catcher to give EC a 7-5 lead.

Alas, bullpen was unable to maintain the lead. Franklin & Marshall plated four in the home half of the fourth, five in the fifth, and one more in the sixth. At the same time, reliever Charlie Wright pieced together a noteworthy performance out of the bullpen. Wright was credited with the win after tossing 3.1 innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts.

News and Notes

• Franklin & Marshall took a 2-0 lead in the all-time series against Elmira.
• Carter pitched his second consecutive complete game in the matinee.
• In the nightcap, Gruber recorded four strikeouts, the most of any EC pitcher on Saturday.
• Volpe paced all Elmira hitters with a .400 average on the day, as the senior went 2-for-5 with a team-high three runs.
• Crossley also finished the doubleheader with multiple hits, going 2-for-6 with one RBI.

Up Next
Elmira's weekend continues on Sunday, March 8, when the Purple and Gold visit York College of Pennsylvania for a non-conference doubleheader. The first game is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. start.